Air directing louver device



July 24, 1962 GOETTL 3,045,576

AIR DIRECTING LOUVER DEVICE Filed May 24, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

kg A ADAM 0. GOETTL PATENT AGENT July 24, 1962 A. D. GOETTL 3,045,576

AIR DIRECTING LOUVER DEVICE Filed May 24, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 4O INVENTOR.

M 34 v as 32 /48 wow Axls ADAM D. GOETTL PIVOTAL AXIS PATENT AGENT July 24, 1962 A. D. GOETTL 3,045,575

AIR DIRECTING LOUVER DEVICE Filed May 24; 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 PIVOTAL AXIS w INVENTOR.

ADAM D. GOETTL 68 M PIVOTAL AXIS PATENT AGENT United States Patent 3,045,576 AIR DIRECTING LOUVER DEVICE Adam D. Goettl, Phoenix, Ariz., assignor to McGraw- Edison Company, Milwaukee, Wis, a corporation of Delaware Filed May 24, 1960, Ser. No. 31,306 4 Claims. (CI. 9840) This invention relates to an air directing louver device and more particularly to an air directing louver device of a type disclosed in my issued Patent 2,892,395 but which comprises novel features of construction useful in various other louver structures.

The louver slats of the air directing louver device disclosed in Patent 2,892,395 are provided with bearing sockets which include slightly more than 180 degrees of a concave hemispherical configuration and such bearing sockets are generally molded around bearings concurrently with the production of air directing louver assemblies as disclosed in my Patent 2,931,066.

The foregoing patents disclose the formation of assernblies of slats by molding slats about common bearing members at the intersections of the slats.

My Patent 2,821,899 discloses slats having V-shaped notches in their edges and these slats may be molded individually in dies which separate laterally of the sides of such slats.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an air directing louver device having slats which may be molded individually and wherein bearing sockets are open at the sides of the slats; said sockets spaced longitudinally of the slats and adjacent sockets being open alternately at opposite sides of said slats to hold them firmly in engagement with bearing members.

Another object of the invention is to provide an air directing louver device having slats provided with hearing sockets open at alternate sides thereof whereby large slats may be individually molded to cooperate with bearing members at the intersections of slats in an assembly wherein a plurality of slats is disposed at an angle to another plurality of slats.

Another object of the invention is to provide an air directing louver device having slats provided with bearing sockets open at the sides of the slats whereby a novel method of assembly may be employed in the production of air directing louver devices or various other types of louvers wherein one set of parallel slats angularly intersects another set of parallel slats at an angle.

Another object of the invention is to provide an air directing louver device wherein first louver slats are provided with bearing sockets spaced longitudinally thereof and disposed alternately in open relationship at opposite sides of said slats whereby they are engaged with bearing portions fixed to and spaced longitudinally on second slats which intersect the first slats at an angle; said bearing portions engaged in opposite directions longitudinally of said second slats whereby the slats are interlocked in pivotal relationship with each other.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention may become apparent from the following specification, appended claims and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of an air directing louver device in accordance with the present invention and showing a plurality of first slats disposed parallel with each other and intersecting a plurality of second slats at right angles;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken from the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing portions in elevation and in section beyond the plane of line 22 and thereby amplifying the illustration;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from the line 33 of FIG. 2;

$345,575 Patented July 24-, 1962 FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from line 4- of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a further modified sectional view taken on a plane similar to that shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of a modified louver assembly in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from the line 77 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken from line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from the line 99 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 2 but showing a further modification of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view taken from the line 11-11. of FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from the line 1l21l2 of FIG. 11.

As shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, a plurality of first slats 10 are disposed in parallel relationship to each other and these slats 11 are provided with substantially V-shaped notches 112, as shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings, and are further provided with integral spherical bearing portions 14 at the apex portions of the machine 12.

It will be understood that the notch portions 12 may be eliminated and the edges of the slats 10 may terminate at the broken line A shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings. Under such conditions the spherical bearing member 14 merely extends beyond the edges of the slats if desired.

The slats 10 may be molded or otherwise fabricated as desired and may be molded of various materials suitable for various applications as desired.

A second plurality of slats 16 are parallel with each other and intersect the slats 10 at substantially right angles. These slats 16 'are provided with V-shaped notches 18 which are spaced longitudinally thereof as shown best in FIG. 2. At the apex portions of the notches 1.8 are spherical socket portions 26 which are open at the edges and sides of the slats 16. These socket portions may be disposed in straight edged slats if desired. The spherical sockets Ztl as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings are extensive for substantially more than degrees around the center line of the bearings 14 as indicated at B in FIG. 2 of the drawings.

With reference to FIG. 5 of the drawings it will be seen that these spherical sockets 20 are open at one side of each slat 16. With reference to the enlarged view in FIG. 5 it will be seen that at one side 22 of each slat 16 the spherical socket 20 is provided with a portion 24 which intimately engages the spherical bearing =14 while at the opposite side 26 of the slat 16 the spherical socket 20 is open at 28 equal to a full diameter of spherical bearing portions 14 of each slat 10. Thus, each slat 16 may be disposed laterally in a broken line position C and then moved to a solid line position as shown in FIG. 5 whereby the spherical portions 24 of the socket 2i firmly engage the spherical bearing portions 14 of the slats 10. Adjacent sockets 20 spaced longitudinally of each slat 16 are open at opposite sides of the respective slat.

Reference is made to FIG. 2 of the drawings wherein a socket 20 designated D is open at 28 facing the Viewer while adjacent sockets 20 designated E and F are open facing the far side of the slat viewed whereby the alternate disposition of the open sided sockets on opposite sides of the slats to tend to hold them in locked position in engagement with the spherical bearing portions 14- of the slats 10.

An assembly jig (not shown) is provided to hold the slats 16 in off-set position until they are placed over the spherical bearing portions 14' whereupon the slats 1.6 are released and their inherent resilience causes them to move from.- the broken line position C into the solid line position as shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings wherein they are held by equal and opposite forces of the resilient structure causing the oppositely disposed open sided sockets 20 to engage the bearing portions =14 of the slats 10.

With reference to FIG. 1 of the drawings it will be seen that the socket 20 which is designated D is disposed in an opposite direction to a socket 20 designated G. This socket G is open at a side I of the respective slat 16 so that resilient forces of the slat 16 are equal and opposite relative to the adjacent bearings 14 on each slat 10. Since the bearings 14 are integral with the slats the resilience of the slats 16 and their one-sided engagement with the bearing portions 14 at the open sockets may create slight tension or compression in the slats 10 to maintain all of the sockets 20 firmly engaged with all of the bearing portions 14 to provide an interlocked pivotal assembly of intersecting slats. It will be here noted that the slats 10 and '16 both pivot about the centers of the spherical bearing portions 14.

It will be seen that the slats 10 may be molded in dies which will separate in a direction normal to the sides of the slats and that the slats 16 may also be formed individually in such dies which will separate in a direc tion normal to the sides of the slats.

This facility may be used in the production of large slats by an injection molding process or such slats may be formed by other methods as desired.

In the modification of the invention as shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, inclusive, of the drawings a first plurality of slats 30 are disposed in spaced parallel relationship to each other and a second plurality of slats 32 disposed in spaced parallel relation With each other and arranged in intersecting relationship with the slats 30. It will be seen that the slats 30 and 32 intersect each other at substantially right angles.

As shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings each slat 30 is provided with bearing portions 34 which are disposed adjacent the edge of the slat or may each be disposed in the apex of a notch portion in the edge of the slat, as hereinbefore described. Such notch portions are conventional V-shaped notches within which the intersecting blade may pivot.

Each bearing portion 34 extends axially of the slat 30 and adjacent bearing portions longitudinally of the slat 30 are directed in opposed relationship to each other longitudinally of the respective slat 30. These bearing portions 34 are provided with oppositely directed spherical ends 36 which are engaged by conforming socket portions 38 of the slats 32. The centers 31 of the spherical ends form an intersection for the pivotal axes of .both the slats 30 and 32 which pass through the centers of these slats. It will be seen that notch portions of the slats 30 in order to receive inner ends 42 of the slats 32 which extend inwardly beyond the recesses 38.

The recesses 38 which engage the ends 36 of the bearing portions 34 are formed so that the slats 32 may be pivoted laterally of their sides 44 and 46. It be seen that each of the bearing recesses 38 is in one of the sides 46 of each slat 32 and that the respective recess 38 is provided with walls 48 which diverge toward the side 46 and the bearing portion 34 of the respective slat 30. The diverging walls 48 permit the slats 32 to pivot around the bearing portions 34 within the angular limits of the diverging walls 48. Further, it will be seen that the slats 30 may be pivoted about the axes of the bearing portions 34 laterally of their opposite sides 50 and 52. It will be seen from FIG. 8 of the drawings that the bottom portions of the notches 40 must clear the inner edges 42 of the slats 32 in order to permit the slats 30 to pivot angularly relative to the slats 32.

As shown in FIG. 9 of the drawings the recesses 38 in the slats 32 are spaced longitudinally thereof and are in opposite sides of the slats 32. Thus, adjacent bearing recesses 38 are disposed on opposite sides of the slats 32. For example, the recess 38 at J is on the opposite side of the slat from the recess at K.

The bearing portions 34 in the edges of the slats 30 are directed in opposite directions relative to each other, for example, adjacent bearing portions 34 at L and M, respectively, are directed axially of the respective slat 30 and away from each other while bearing portions 34 at P and Q are disposed in opposite directions but directed toward each other. Thus, each slat 30 alternately has a pair of oppositely directed bearings 34 which extend away from each other and a pair of oppositely directed bearing portions 34 which are directed toward each other. Thus, all of the bearing forces in the louver assembly are disposed to create an opposite holding force effective to maintain the slats in a unitary assembly. This relationship is clearly shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings which discloses a greater expanse of the louver assembly.

From the foregoing it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the slats 30 and 32 of the modification of the invention may be formed in flat dies which separate in directions normal to the sides of the slats.

Further, the bearing recesses open at the sides of the slats 32 in engagement with the bearings 34 of the slats 30 provide for a unitary assembly of the slats when the slats 32 are sprung into position so that their bearing recesses 38 will engage the bearings 34 of the slats 30. Such sprung relationship of the slats 32 is indicated by broken lines N in FIG. 6 of the drawings. 'It will be seen that after the slats are sprung into the broken line position that they progressively move into the straight solid line position by reason of the fact that the recesses 38 slide into engagement with the ends 36 of the bearing portions 34 integral with the slats 30. This broken line position N is also illustrated in FIG. 7 of the drawings on enlarged scale.

In the modification, as shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, inclusive, of drawings, a plurality of parallel slats 54 angularly intersect a plurality of parallel slats 56. At the intersections of these slats 54 and 56 the slats 54 are provided with arcuate recesses 58 which comprise flat ledges 60 facing the sides of these slats 54. The flat ledges are spaced longitudinally of the slats 54 and adjacent ledges face opposite sides of the slats 54 and are parallel thereto.

The slats 56 are provided with transversely disposed pivot pins 62 laterally engaging said ledges and said pins have opposite ends 64 and 66 which slide against an arcuate wall 68 disposed outwardly of and at right angles to each ledge 6t). The arcuate recesses are each provided with an open segment 20 in which the intersecting portions of the slats 56 are located.

It will be seen that the pivotal axes of the pins and the centers of the arcuate recesses 58 intersect to provide for coinciding pivotal axes of the slats 54 and 56 at their intersecting locations.

The pins 62 are assembled into the recesses 58 and engaged with the laterally facing ledges 60 by lateral deflection of the slats 54 and 56 in a manner similar to that hereinbefore described in connection with other species of the invention. It will be here noted that the arcuate walls 68 and ledges 60 in the slats 54 form sockets for the pins 62 which serve as bearing portions which are fixed to the slats 56.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications of the present invention may be resorted to in a manner limited only by a just interpretation of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a louver device the combination of: a plurality of first parallel slats each having opposite sides and opposite edges; a plurality of second parallel slats each having opposite sides and opposite edges angularly intersecting said first slats; projecting bearing portions fixed to said first slats and directed longitudinally thereof; socket portions in said second slats and engaged with said projecting bearing portions at the points of intersection of the first and second slats; each of said socket portions open at and facing one side of its respective slat and engaging a respective projecting bearing portion; adjacent socket portions in each of said second slat disposed at opposite sides thereof, said projecting bearing portions extending into said socket portions beyond the centers of said second slats, pivotal centers of said first and second slats disposed at their centers between opposite sides thereof, the axes of said pivotal centers extending through said projecting bearings; said socket portions of said second slats, which engage adjacent projecting bearing portions of any one of said first slats, being opposed to each other thereby balancing projecting bearing pressure of said sockets on said bearing portions of each of said first slats, adjacent projecting bearing portions spaced longitudinally of said first slats being oppositely directed longitudinally thereof, whereby each of said first and second slats is pivotal relative to all the other slats and whereby the first and second slats are connected together in a unitary louver assembly.

2. In a louver device the combination of: a plurality of first parallel slats each having opposite sides and opposite edges; a plurality of second parallel slats each having opposites sides and oposite edges angularly intersecting said first slats; spherical bearing portions fixed to the edges of said first slats and spaced longitudinally thereof; spherical socket portions in the edges of said second slats and engaged with said spherical bearing portions at the points of intersection of the first and second slats; each of said spherical socket portions facing one side of its respective slat engaging a respective spherical bearing portion more than 180 degrees therearound, said last mentioned spherical socket portion, at the opposite side of said respective slat, being open to the full diameter of the respective spherical bearing portion; adjacent socket portions in each slat having their full diameter open portions disposed at opposite sides of the respective slat, the centers of said spherical bearing portions disposed substantially at a center of each of said second slat-s located between opposite sides thereof, said socket portions of said second slats, which engage adjacent bearing portions of any one of said first slats, having their full diameter open portions opposed to each other thereby balancing bearing pressure of said sockets on said bearing portions of each of said first slats whereby each of said first and second slats is pivotal relative to all the other slats and whereby the first and second slats are connected together in a unitary louver assembly.

3, In a louver device the combination of: a plurality of first parallel slats each having opposite sides and opposite edges; a plurality of second parallel slats each having opposite sides and opposite edges angularly intersecting said first slats; projecting bearing portions fixed to said first slats and spaced longitudinally thereof; socket portions in said second slats and engaged with said projecting bearing portions at the points of intersections of the first and second slats, each of said socket portions facing one side of its respective slat and engaging a respective projecting bearing portion; adjacent socket portions in each of said second slats being open at and facing opposite sides thereof, said socket portions comprising recesses having fiat ledge portions facing the sides of said second slats and disposed parallel thereto; said sockets also comprising arcuate walls disposed outwardly of said ledges; said projecting bearing portions of said first slats comprising transversely disposed pivot pins having their opposite ends slidably disposed adjacent said arcuate walls, said pivot pins engaged laterally with said ledges, the centers of said arcuate walls of said arcuate recesses intersecting the axes of said pivot pins; and the axes of said pivot pins disposed substantially at the centers of said second slats.

4. In a louver device, the combination of: a plurality of first parallel slats each having opposite sides and opposite edges; a plurality of second parallel slats each having opposite sides and opposite edges angularly intersecting said first slats; projecting bearing portions carried by said first slats and spaced longitudinally thereof; said projecting bearing port-ions having pivotal axes disposed longitudinally of said first slats; spherically recessed bearing portions in said second slats and spaced longitudinally thereof; said recessed bearing portions having pivotal axes disposed longitudinally of said second slats; said projecting bearing portions of said first slats having spherical surfaced structure and disposed in said recessed bearing portions and disposed at the centers of both of said first and second slats whereby the pivotal axes of said projecting bearing portions pass through the centers of said second slats; said recessed bearing portions in each of said second slats being alternately disposed at and facing opposite sides of the respective slats, whereby adjacent recessed bearing portions spaced longitudinally of said second slats are disposed and directed toward opposite sides thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,959,117 Wright Nov. 8 1960 

